Snapping at dogs on lead, why?

Alfie is 7-8 months old, and we've never had any problems with him around other dogs. He's never loved them, was never that bothered with them, even a bit scared of them when he was very youn but we got over that at the training class we went to and he was happy to run over and sniff and say hello, in fact he still does on a walk.

We swapped training, and the past two weeks he's started snapping and lunging at the other dogs. We also go to ringcraft and he doesn't do it there, he doesn't do it on walks and we have another dog who he plays with. It's upsetting to see him do it because I have no idea why, he's never done it before and doesn't do it on walks or in the street.

When he does it, he makes a lot of noise. The training people have been really good about it, but I'm a bit fed up of the looks I get off the other dog owners, their dogs are ALL into playing with dogs etc...

Anyone any idea what we can do or why he might be doing it?

If you changed training classes and he was ok at the last one, what is it that is different about this one that might be upsetting him.

Nothing really, this one is a lot nicer if I'm honest. It's indoors with a bit less space, and the dogs are all a lot more playful, like they want to play with Alfie but he doesn't want to, he snaps pretty much straight away.

It might be worth having a word with the trainer. We have several dogs at ours who spend the first part of the class walking the perimeter, doing "leave It" exercises. When the owners feel it is settled they then join the class. It would also be helpful if the other owners were aware and did not let their dogs jump all over yours. A gentle introduction in a controlled manner may be better.

It sounds like a really nice class but, I suspect the indoors bit with less space, playful dogs asking him to play etc when he doesn't want to is just a bit much for him and he's showing it by being over stressy (that's my interpretation ).

It would be good if you could ensure you keep plenty of distance at first at least, "protect" him and use tasty food rewards if he will take them for simply being calm.

In time (depends on how stressed he is and if any dogs get pushy with him) just this in itself can cause a pleasant association with a class :smt001 and he may start to relax a bit, once his stress has subsided (dogs can take 3 days to come down off an adrenalin stress high) he may feel more able to interact :smt001

Wys
x

Is it normal for dogs to be allowed to jump all over each other in an indoor training class then??? Not come across that beofre, surely it must stress the dogs out and make them more excitable?????

Ok, we'll try that. The week before last he snapped at about five dogs, but this week I tried to be more relaxed and it was only 3, so hopeflly it'll pass.

edit - Ramble, I think because all the other dogs are really doggy doggy (apart from one, an old greyhound girl) that they kind of expect him to play. They have a socialisation time and it's then that he does it, but few times we've been doing something and a dog has come over and sniffed him while he was concentrating on me, and he's snapped. It's a bit annoying, because I get the funny, dissaproving looks when sometimes their dog has come bounding over to him when pretty much everyone in the class knows he's not really one for playing with dogs.

Hi Alice...
when you enter the hall (I'm guessing) are the dogs all allowed to greet each other in a playful way, or is it more controlled than that??
It may be worth asking the other owners not to allow their dogs to jump on yours when he is on lead, he obviously feels quite insecure about it???? Also mention it to the trainer. Has the trainer spotted this and said anything?
I see you're on Merseyside, can I ask where your classes are? (Feel free to PM me or tell me to go away if you don't want to say!!!!)

Basically yeah, the dogs can gree each other in the center of the hall, buta few of the dogs have made friends already so they tend to stick together. A couple of times in the lesson we come together as a group for socialising.

We go to ringcraft in exactly the same hall, and he's never done it there. One of the dogs, a border terrier, also goes to both classes and at the training he's never snapped at her. We were in quite a confined area this week as we were practising recalls so were all at one end of the room, and he was stud next to the border terrier and was sniffing at her and was fine. Then this border collie bitch came over, who is really playfull and he just lost it and snapped at her and made so much noise.

The people who run the training are really good, she's been watching him when it's the socialisation time and has been giving me advice.

I wonder if it might be an idea to get a DAP spray and spray a bit of scarf or something and just tie to to Alfie's collar, but not in his way!! It could help him be less stressed and unsure of himself. He is beginning to mature and probably is uncertain of what he should be doing. Good Luck with him, and I do hope you sort it quickly and get him back to his normal unstressed self. Kath